Facing Fear
by Fire Redhead
Summary: TFA Oneshot. A little girl shows Scaredy Screamer how to be brave. Just a silly plot that's been plaguing my brain and thought I'd share.


_**A/N: Bored and a little stuck planning out my other stories this random little plot popped into my head and simply will NOT go away. So, I had to write it. Doesn't really correspond closely to the TFA timeline…this is more of a cute character feature. **_

_**Though I can't say I was pleased Skywarp and Thundercracker were reduced to mere clones personifying Starscream's less than savory personality traits. (Not that all those things aren't great when they're combined in the original Starscream package.) However, I felt the need to feature poor, cowardly, TFA Skywarp in his own little one-shot. I just see him as a Starscream that needs a hug and a security blanket!**_

"**Facing Fear"**

**By Leah Wood**

_Outside Detroit in a camping ground near a lake…_

"Where are you going Mark?" his mother called from the tent she was helping set up.

"To walk around the lake." Mark, the nine year old brunette responded.

"Well, just don't wander too far and BE careful! It'll be dark soon." her mother's voice requested.

The boy nodded, "Ok."

"I wanna go too! I wanna go too!" Mark's six year old sister Cassidy cried out, running after her brother.

Mark adamantly shook his head, "No way Cassidy! You stay here with mom and dad."

"NO!" the blonde protested stomping her foot, "I wanna go walk around the lake!"

"MOM! Cassidy won't leave me alone!" Mark whined.

"Why don't you take her with you Mark?" his mother suggested.

Mark groaned, "But MOM…I don't _want_ to take her!"

"Do as I ask or you have to stay here." was the curt reply.

The young boy glared at his kid sister who smiled at him.

He rolled his eyes with an irritated growl, "Fine."

"Keep an eye on your sister Mark. I MEAN it!" his mother's voice barked from inside the tent.

"YES mom." he shouted back.

Cassidy, quite pleased with the turn of events, skipped behind her brother. He sourly glanced over his shoulder at her thinking how great it would be to just pitch her in the lake. But he'd get in trouble…he always did. Cassidy would tell on him and then his lake trip would be secluded to the camp ground. He walked, ignoring his sister who would stop and pick any stray flower she spotted.

"Look!" she beamed, "I found a shell!"

She held up the decrepit half of a freshwater clam shell.

"So?" Mark grumbled, finding a flat rock to skip.

Cassidy stuffed the shell half in her pocket, continuing to explore the lake shore for more treasures. Her brother began skipping rocks, blissfully unaware his sister was wandering further and further from him. Cassidy was too busy "treasure hunting" to notice she was disappearing from sight. She spotted a white flower in the trees by the lake and rushed to pick it. Then she saw a whole clump of pink flowers a ways away which she had to add to her collection. Pretty soon Cassidy had a whole bundle of flowers clenched in her hand and no idea where her brother was.

She smelled her fragrant bundle and smiled. Just then her attentive young eyes caught sight of a shimmering purple object poking out of some bushes. _What a pretty color!_ Immediately intrigued, she trotted over to the purple object for a closer look. It wasn't a flower; actually Cassidy didn't know what it was. It looked like a purple metal...something? The child reached out and touched it.

Suddenly, the bush literally exploded with leaves as the purple metal object shot up off the ground and into the air. Cassidy fell back on her butt screaming but her scream was instantly overpowered by another massively loud scream. The little girl covered her ears under the deafening timbre as her eyes darted upward. She gasped suddenly realizing the purple metal was only a small part of a whole gigantic thing.

It was unbelievably tall; as tall as the trees it was standing beside; and made of dark purple and grayish-black metal. Two wide arched wings sprouted from either side of its back making it look like a plane with legs, arms, and a head. Cassidy had seen robots before, they were everywhere in Detroit, but she'd never seen one this big or with such a menacing design. With its blood-red eyes, gigantic build, and long sharp claws, it looked like a terrible monster.

The little girl trembled in his shadow and screamed again.

Much to her surprise the towering robot's red eyes shot open and it let loose another deafening scream as it lifted one leg and arched its whole massive body back slamming up against the trees.

Cassidy winced, plugging her ears again.

"**Oh Primus, it touched me!"** it exclaimed, revealing a reedy masculine voice.

At first Cassidy had been the frightened one, but now she realized despite his gigantic stature the robot acted terrified of her. She got up, eyes curious.

"**No! No! Go away! Shoo!"** his great rasping voice pleaded, as it waved a clawed hand at her.

Cassidy couldn't help but giggle at him. He acted like her mom when she saw a spider in the sink. Except this time SHE was the spider.

"Hello." she greeted.

The metal giant continued to shake, his plating rattled.

"Are you scared of me?" Cassidy inquired.

"**Just go away!"** the robot begged.

"Why?"

"**Don't spit acid on me or contaminate me with your viruses!"** he cringed, trying to back up despite the trees behind him.

Cassidy frowned, "I don't have acid or viruses."

The purple and gray robot continued to press against the trees until suddenly they snapped under his pressure. With a startled yelp the giant winged robot fell backward, slamming to the ground. Cassidy spread her arms to keep her balance under the impact. Thrashing his long legs the robot struggled to sit up. When he finally managed the feat he whimpered, rubbing his backside.

Cassidy giggled at him, "You're funny!"

He noticed the child's proximity to his legs the robot quickly tucked them closer to his body.

"My name's Cassidy. What's yours?" she announced.

The wide red eyes blinked at her.

Cassidy cocked her head, "You DO have a name don't you?"

"**I…I'm Clone Five." **the robot said quietly

"That's a funny name. Did your mommy give you that name? My mommy's middle name is Cassidy so that's MY name."

He looked around not sure what to say.

"Do robots have mommies?" Cassidy asked, genuinely curious.

"**I…I don't…I don't think so."** Five stammered.

The little blonde frowned sadly, "No mommy? Is that why you're scared?"

"**Umm…"**

"I'd be scared if _I_ didn't have a mommy." Cassidy admitted, shuffling her feet, "But _you_ shouldn't be scared."

The purple and gray robot lessened his tense posture a bit, **"I shouldn't?"**

Cassidy shook her head, "No. If I was big like you I wouldn't be scared of anything."

Five looked around as if it was the first time he noticed he actually WAS bigger than everything, **"You wouldn't?"**

"No way! I'd just do this…" Cassidy threw her hands over her head, with her teeth bared, and yelled loudly as if trying to roar. _"RAAAAWWWRRRR!"_

Five cringed and the little girl laughed at him.

"That's what my mommy told me to do to the monsters under my bed. She said if I act just as scary as them they'd go away. Now I'm not scared anymore." the child explained proudly. "YOU should try that."

"**What?"** Five inquired.

Cassidy stepped into the space between his massive legs, "Just put your arms up like this."

Five wasn't sure about it but he slowly lifted his arms, hands clenched into fists.

"Now spread your fingers out like this."

Cassidy flared her fingers, curling them into make-believe claws. The giant jet robot cautiously spread his real claws making them ring like drawn swords. An impressed smile split the girl's face.

"Wow! You have REAL claws!"

Five looked at his talons.

"Ok. Now make a scary face." she ordered baring her teeth and scrunching her eyebrows in an angry grimace.

Five clenched his prominent jaw and feebly made an unsure lopsided smile.

The little girl giggled, "Tee hee hee! NO. No. That's a _funny_ face! Make a _scary_ face."

His smile lowered into a frown.

"That's better…but show your teeth like this." she demonstrated.

Five bared his sharp edged dental plates but it only made him look like he was bracing himself on a windy day.

"Now make your eyes small like this!" Cassidy narrowed her eyes.

The red optics slit.

Cassidy nodded eagerly, her "monster creation" taking shape, "That's a good scary face! Now roar!"

"**What?"** Five asked through his dental plates.

"Do this: _RAAAAWWRRR!_" the little girl shouted the best child roar she could.

"**Rrrrrrrrr?"** the robot made a high pitched revving noise.

Cassidy sputtered and bent over giggling at the feeble attempt. It just sounded so funny coming from the giant robot.

Five dejectedly lowered his hands at her laughter and whined with frustration, **"**_**Oh**_**. I'm not scary; I'm just a scaredy bot."**

The girl stopped laughing upon seeing his sad look, "Aww. Don't be sad Five. Just try again."

"**I don't want to."** he mumbled.

"Please Five? I know you can do it if you try." the tiny girl tried to persuade.

"**No."**

"Pretty please?"

"**NO."**

"Pretty please with sprinkles on top?"

Five's ruby optics flashed and narrowed as he raised his voice, **"I SAID NO!"**

At once Cassidy smiled, "YEAH! Like that!"

"**Huh?"** the purple and gray jet robot quirked his head.

"When you roar, do it loud like you just did." she encouraged.

Five's optics darted around, **"I…I don't know…"**

"Just take a deep breath and roar as loud as you can." the child lifted her hands up in the "scary" pose.

Though he paused for a moment, Five hesitantly assumed the "scary" pose too. He concentrated, readying his vocalizer. Then he unleashed the hidden power of his voice, so graciously bestowed by the original Starscream. He shrieked and roared at the same time, shattering the tranquility of a two mile radius. Cassidy fell to the ground, plugging her ears though the tremendousness of Five's roar was literally rippling her skin. His optics flashed, his claws flared. Finally he stopped, feeling oddly good.

Shaking, Cassidy stared at him with wide eyes. She popped her fingers out of her ears, knowing she'd probably touched her brain with them. All she could do was fall back on her butt.

"That…was…_AWESOME!_" she finally crowed. "See! You ARE scary!"

Five smiled a tiny grin. For the first time in his brief life he actually felt the briefest sensation of confidence; something he'd never felt before. It was…kinda scary.

"Are you scared anymore?" Cassidy asked.

The jet robot shook his head, **"Not really."**

Abruptly she hugged the large fin on his thruster and he flinched. Then in the distance they both heard a voice calling.

"Cassidy? CASSIDY! COME ON! WHERE ARE YOU?" Mark was yelling in a very concerned tone.

The girl sighed and looked up at the jet clone, "I've gotta go Five or I'll get in trouble."

Five rubbed his claws together but didn't say anything. He would have to leave too.

Cassidy gave his thruster fin another hug and jogged off, "I'll see you tomorrow!"

As she left the red eyed mech gave a small wave, watching the tiny motivator disappear from sight.

Cassidy never did see Five again, but their encounter was never forgotten by the clone considered to be nothing but cowardly. He never was truly brave nor did he willingly volunteer to fight, but for one brief instance in his new life a small human girl had shown him how to face his fear.


End file.
